Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kisvarda Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kisvarda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,136 in Kisvarda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,682 in Kisvarda, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,228 in Kisvarda, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% cheaper than Kisvarda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kisvarda are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kisvarda 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$8.41 Ft 2,623

-76.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$43.20 Ft 13.5K

-56.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.44 Ft 2,632

-6.16%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.04 Ft 636

-6.37%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.13 Ft 353

-25.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.82 Ft 256

-57.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.85 Ft 577

19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.28 Ft 710

66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.04 Ft 325

57.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.52 Ft 474

6.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.84 Ft 573

-35.87%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.59 Ft 808

-22.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.41 Ft 2,937

68.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.87 Ft 1,830

-48.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.37 Ft 3,860

-12.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.66 Ft 519

57.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.98 Ft 617

-38.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.85 Ft 578

-8.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.31 Ft 1,034

-52.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.10 Ft 343

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.41 Ft 441

-17.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.67 Ft 522

-59.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.62 Ft 193

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.89 Ft 2,149

-34.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$4.78 Ft 1,493

280.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.11 Ft 346

64.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.71 Ft 535

88.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.16 Ft 362

-23.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$24.67 Ft 7,699

-21.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.61 Ft 813

-48.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.14 Ft 355

18.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$13.74 Ft 4,287

-39.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.76 Ft 550

-27.84%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$24.5K Ft 7.7M

-13.74%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.6K Ft 10.8M

-34.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$70.2 ฿2,294

$197 Ft 61.4K

-64.38%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.77 ฿450

$27.19 Ft 8,482

-49.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$20.01 Ft 6,245

-12.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$46.17 Ft 14.4K

-9.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$16.56 Ft 5,168

-60.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.26 Ft 2,266

-20.39%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$306 ฿10.0K

$327 Ft 101.9K

-6.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,402 Ft 1.1M

335.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$54.7 Ft 17.1K

-0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$27.28 Ft 8,512

-4.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$63.0 Ft 19.6K

34.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$65.9 Ft 20.6K

5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$453 Ft 141.3K

-6.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$343 Ft 107.1K

-30.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$622 Ft 194.1K

32.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$543 Ft 169.3K

-5.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$3,228 Ft 1.0M

-36.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,324 Ft 725.2K

-34.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

-33.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kisvarda: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $453 in Kisvarda. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Kisvarda. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $221 in Kisvarda – so Kisvarda wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Kisvarda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisvarda costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,704 in Kisvarda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $327 in Kisvarda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Kisvarda – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,136 in Kisvarda, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,136 in Kisvarda. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kisvarda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.